California Shudders at low engine revs

[MurrayR]

My 2007 California has had an annoying shudder when accelerating.
Today I found that if I was in 4th gear at 1500 rpm and I accelerated away the front of the vehicle shudders. Most notibly at the floor level.
5th gear and 1500 rpm was even worse.
I have had the automatc transmission serviced and the wheel alignment checked without an issue found.
The shudder also occured when driving up an incline with the caravan attached.
I am now suspecting an issue relating to the torque requirement at around 1500 rpm and wether the auto should be in a lower gear at that point.

Looking forward to your questions/Replies
Murray

 

[WelshGas]

My 2007 California has had an annoying shudder when accelerating.
Today I found that if I was in 4th gear at 1500 rpm and I accelerated away the front of the vehicle shudders. Most notibly at the floor level.
5th gear and 1500 rpm was even worse.
I have had the automatc transmission serviced and the wheel alignment checked without an issue found.
The shudder also occured when driving up an incline with the caravan attached.
I am now suspecting an issue relating to the torque requirement at around 1500 rpm and wether the auto should be in a lower gear at that point.

Looking forward to your questions/Replies
Murray

Engine Mounts?

 

[flying banana]

Dual mass flywheel . These are 2 flywheels connected together with springs. When the springs age this is a common sign as the design is to make the engine smoother. Expensive job, get the clutch done at the same time. So first job is to find out if your engine has this system,which I think it has

 

[WelshGas]

Dual mass flywheel . These are 2 flywheels connected together with springs. When the springs age this is a common sign as the design is to make the engine smoother. Expensive job, get the clutch done at the same time. So first job is to find out if your engine has this system,which I think it has

I think the OP has an autobox so no clutch.

 

[flying banana]

I think the OP has

Evenot though there is no clutch pedal to press, I'm certain autos still have a clutch to disengage the drive for coasting and gear changes

 

[B J G]

Evenot though there is no clutch pedal to press, I'm certain autos still have a clutch to disengage the drive for coasting and gear changes

A wet multiplate clutch system.

 

[B J G]

My 2007 California has had an annoying shudder when accelerating.
Today I found that if I was in 4th gear at 1500 rpm and I accelerated away the front of the vehicle shudders. Most notibly at the floor level.
5th gear and 1500 rpm was even worse.
I have had the automatc transmission serviced and the wheel alignment checked without an issue found.
The shudder also occured when driving up an incline with the caravan attached.
I am now suspecting an issue relating to the torque requirement at around 1500 rpm and wether the auto should be in a lower gear at that point.

Looking forward to your questions/Replies
Murray

Have you tried using manual mode through the gears to see if the problem can be replicated?

CV joints?

 

[vwsween]

If the shudder as you call it is less consistent than what you might describe as a big vibration and maybe varies with road speed as opposed to engine speed it may be that drive shafts and stub shaft need replacing. Dont ignore it, you could be stranded with no drive at all.

 

[2into1]

If it isn't drive train...... Does it do it all throttle openings? I've had similar problems I think I've tracked down to the egr valve operation. It isn't operating as designed (probably full of gunk) so screws up fuel and air at 1500. Simples to unplug and test if you can reset the code light it will throw.

 

[Azteccamper]

Had a 2007 T5 with similar problems and found a couple of things are common that need to be checked, all mentioned above. Is it the 2.5tdi?
DMF - although yours is auto so can rule this out
O/S drive shaft / stub shaft
Engine mounts
DPF can also give pretty nasty vibrations during a regeneration particularly if doing plenty of shorter trips.
Good luck.

 

[Perfectos]

Sounds like a Possible torque converter issue, does the vibration disappear if you lift and gently reapply the throttle ?

edit: does it almost feel like a side to side shudder particularly when accelerating

 

[Multi1100]

Hard to guess with the information the OP has given so far...what is helpful to know;
- how many miles or km on the clock (to exclude drive shafts for example)
- did it receive it's maintenance according the book
- was sub manual changing gear tried

For what it is worth; based on current info and since the DSG was serviced (by a garage I pressume) I would suspect (one of the) engine mounts.

 

[MurrayR]

Happy Easter everyone!
Took the 2007 Cali out for another drive today.
It has done 178,000KM
Maintenance has been by the VW agent until 2020
I drove with the manual gear control and the shudder was the same or worse.
During the shudder I lifted and reapplied the throttle the shudder was still present.
I accellerated through to 2200 RPM before the shudder stopped.

Sounds like a time to book the Cali in. Now I have some idea of where to look and can recreate the issue.

Looking forward to your replies

Murray

 

[BikerGran]

Just a thought - have you had any of the wheels off lately? If so DON'T drive it till you've checked all the studs are tight!
(sometimes it's the simple things!

 

[WelshGas]

Happy Easter everyone!
Took the 2007 Cali out for another drive today.
It has done 178,000KM
Maintenance has been by the VW agent until 2020
I drove with the manual gear control and the shudder was the same or worse.
During the shudder I lifted and reapplied the throttle the shudder was still present.
I accellerated through to 2200 RPM before the shudder stopped.

Sounds like a time to book the Cali in. Now I have some idea of where to look and can recreate the issue.

Looking forward to your replies

Murray

When you say “ Serviced by VW until 2020 “ , has anything been done to it since?

 

[MurrayR]

Just a thought - have you had any of the wheels off lately? If so DON'T drive it till you've checked all the studs are tight!
(sometimes it's the simple things!

The wheels have no been off for some time.
Since 2020 the van has had annual maintenance and the Automatic serviced (Trying to rule out the Auto causing the shudder).
Murray

 

[WelshGas]

The wheels have no been off for some time.
Since 2020 the van has had annual maintenance and the Automatic serviced (Trying to rule out the Auto causing the shudder).
Murray

Who serviced the Automatic since 2020? VW?

 

[MurrayR]

A company that specialises in Automatic transmissions

 

[WelshGas]

A company that specialises in Automatic transmissions

Which ” automatic” gearbox have you got?

DSG or Tiptronic?

 

[MurrayR]

Tiptronic

 

[WelshGas]

Tiptronic

There have been reports on the T4/T5 Forum of problems with the Tiptronic having problems with the wrong Gearbox oil being used as VWs are very susceptible to problems if the incorrect fluid is used.

https://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/whats-new/posts/838815/

 

[MurrayR]

Thank you for your suggestion. I am struggling to find the thread on the T4/T5 Forum. Searched under Tiptronic oil to to effect.
I did read about reseting the Auto controller using the accelerator pedal with the accelerator on. Is this worth a shot?
The shudder was present before the Auto service.

Murray

 

[WelshGas]

Thank you for your suggestion. I am struggling to find the thread on the T4/T5 Forum. Searched under Tiptronic oil to to effect.
I did read about reseting the Auto controller using the accelerator pedal with the accelerator on. Is this worth a shot?
The shudder was present before the Auto service.

Murray

If the problem was before the service then incorrect fluid is unlikely to be the problem.
Have the engine mounts been checked, they do wear with time.

 

[Tom]

My 2007 California has had an annoying shudder when accelerating.
Today I found that if I was in 4th gear at 1500 rpm and I accelerated away the front of the vehicle shudders. Most notibly at the floor level.
5th gear and 1500 rpm was even worse.
I have had the automatc transmission serviced and the wheel alignment checked without an issue found.
The shudder also occured when driving up an incline with the caravan attached.
I am now suspecting an issue relating to the torque requirement at around 1500 rpm and wether the auto should be in a lower gear at that point.

Looking forward to your questions/Replies
Murray

I had the same problem with my 2008 manual California with 73000 on the clock. I thought it was the clutch. My engineer who looks after a lot of T5 commercial vans immediately diagnosed the problem. It was the RHS drive shaft. The teeth on the shaft had worn where it engages with the gearbox. He replaced the necessary and it now drives like a new vehicle. No more shudders in low revs.

Tom

 

[Corradobrit]

Worth checking wheel bearings and rubber bushings given the age and mileage and rule those out.